Lavender Seeds - Spike
(Lavandula latifolia) Perennial BUT only hardy in zones 8-9.
Spike Lavender has quite a reputation! Lavandula is the essential oil that gives Lavender most of its pleasantly fragrant qualities, and Spike Lavender has the highest lavandula oil content of any of the lavenders. Its plants branch near the ground forming a woody dome of tall spikes ranging in height from 12 to 24 inches in height. The ends are trident topped with violet blue flower spikes.
Spike Lavender is also known as Spanish Lavender, is zone hardy 8-9, meaning that for most of outdoor Canada it is best suited to grow in a large clay pot, or simply as an annual.
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Sowing: Start indoors 8-10 before the last frost. Direct sow in a pot after the risk of spring frost has passed. New transplants require a slow hardening off of 2 weeks before last frost. Introduce your seedlings to gentle wind, rain and shade before setting out permanently. During the hardening process transplants must not remain outdoors at night.
Growing tips: Drainage and sun exposure are the two most important considerations to successfully grow Spike Lavender. Clay pots (size 2 to 5 gallons) are slightly better than plastic as they tend to dry out faster. It is very important that Spike Lavender's roots do not sit in water for extended periods of time. Do not set pot in a saucer to collect water, especially in rainy seasons it may be a nightmare to any lavender.
Sun: Place pot in full sun even if it gets very hot there.
Soil: Do your best to increase drainage; make a unique potting mix that is 25% compost, 25% peat or grow medium, 50% drainage material i.e. sand, gravel, clay pebbles or broken down clay pot parts. The bottom of your pot, 1-2 inches, should be just gravel, clay or rock pebbles, and/or perlite.
Watering: Water abundantly upon planting in a pot. Water should not pool with the increased drainage as mentioned above. Water should drain out after a minute has passed. Once established only water after long droughts, meaning no rain beyond 3 weeks, during the first year. **If temperatures are extremely high, water no more than once a week.
Winter: Lavandula latifolia is said to be able to survive in Northern temperate areas, preferring milder drier climates. That being said, we think that Canada's more frequent wet then cold Winters may be a terrible combo. It can live outside if your drainage setup is impeccable and the pot is well above the ground.
Fertilizer: Only once in a while apply very low dose plant based fertilizer after watering when in a pot.
Cuttings/dividing: Easy to divide in Summer. Cut a stem from the main branch when it is 6 to 8 inches. Pinch off leaves of the last 3 to 4 inches, dip in rooting hormones, place in soil in a container. Water, keep moist, and place in bright lights but out of direct sun. Roots will start to grow at the nodes where the leaves were pinched off.
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Each seed packet contains approximately 50 untreated open pollinated Spike Lavender seeds..
You will be 100% satisfied with the quality of our Open Pollinated Spike Lavender Seeds especially if grown in a 100% organic garden.
Available direct from Incredible Seeds, a Canadian Heirloom Seed Company, offering only the best natural and untreated seeds, located in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Spike Lavender matures in about 90 days and is an open pollinated flower variety.